Chicagoans Left in the Dark: Poll Reveals Stark Information Gap on Elected School Board Change
A new poll has exposed a concerning lack of knowledge among Chicago residents about the city's shift towards an elected school board. Conducted by Kids First Chicago, a nonprofit education advocacy organization, nearly 1,400 residents were quizzed about their awareness of the change, which is set to take effect in 2027.
A staggering two-thirds of respondents claimed to be unaware that the Chicago Board of Education will become fully elected, while only one-tenth could identify their current school board member. Shockingly, around 20% of parents fell into this category as well. The results suggest a pressing need for bilingual outreach efforts in the lead-up to the November election.
The poll's findings reveal a worrying trend: younger adults and Latino residents are significantly less likely to know about the change. This is particularly concerning given that Latino children make up the largest demographic in Chicago Public Schools.
Experts point to the need for targeted, bilingual campaigns that reach these underrepresented groups, taking into account their preferred modes of information consumption, such as social media. Hal Woods, chief of policy at Kids First, emphasizes the importance of straightforward outreach, while Micaelan Valesky Gasperich notes the need for continuous mobilization efforts.
Jaime Dominguez, a political science professor at Northwestern University, attributes the low awareness levels to historical trends in which white, older voters tend to be better informed. He argues that outreach efforts typically begin too close to election time and fail to reach Latino communities effectively, who may face barriers due to long working hours or limited access to information.
To address this issue, Dominguez suggests partnering with trusted organizations that work with immigrant communities, as well as leveraging local Spanish TV stations to spread the word. The city should also consider door-to-door canvassing and phone calls to ensure greater awareness among Latino voters.
Last year's first-ever school board elections saw high participation rates, driven in part by the presidential election cycle. This year's races are expected to be similarly contentious, with candidates vying for support from a diverse range of groups, including the Chicago Teachers Union, charter schools advocates, and critics of the CTU.
A new poll has exposed a concerning lack of knowledge among Chicago residents about the city's shift towards an elected school board. Conducted by Kids First Chicago, a nonprofit education advocacy organization, nearly 1,400 residents were quizzed about their awareness of the change, which is set to take effect in 2027.
A staggering two-thirds of respondents claimed to be unaware that the Chicago Board of Education will become fully elected, while only one-tenth could identify their current school board member. Shockingly, around 20% of parents fell into this category as well. The results suggest a pressing need for bilingual outreach efforts in the lead-up to the November election.
The poll's findings reveal a worrying trend: younger adults and Latino residents are significantly less likely to know about the change. This is particularly concerning given that Latino children make up the largest demographic in Chicago Public Schools.
Experts point to the need for targeted, bilingual campaigns that reach these underrepresented groups, taking into account their preferred modes of information consumption, such as social media. Hal Woods, chief of policy at Kids First, emphasizes the importance of straightforward outreach, while Micaelan Valesky Gasperich notes the need for continuous mobilization efforts.
Jaime Dominguez, a political science professor at Northwestern University, attributes the low awareness levels to historical trends in which white, older voters tend to be better informed. He argues that outreach efforts typically begin too close to election time and fail to reach Latino communities effectively, who may face barriers due to long working hours or limited access to information.
To address this issue, Dominguez suggests partnering with trusted organizations that work with immigrant communities, as well as leveraging local Spanish TV stations to spread the word. The city should also consider door-to-door canvassing and phone calls to ensure greater awareness among Latino voters.
Last year's first-ever school board elections saw high participation rates, driven in part by the presidential election cycle. This year's races are expected to be similarly contentious, with candidates vying for support from a diverse range of groups, including the Chicago Teachers Union, charter schools advocates, and critics of the CTU.
Oh man, that's so concerning 
! I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to feel like you're not being heard or informed about something that affects your child's education 
. The fact that 20% of parents are completely clueless is just wow 
... and the demographics that are getting left behind, especially Latino communities 
... it's just heartbreaking 
.
. It sounds like there's a bit of a disconnect between the city and the people who live here 
. We need to make sure that everyone, regardless of background or age, has access to accurate information and resources 
.
... it's all about building those bridges 
and making sure everyone has a seat at the table 
. And I think door-to-door canvassing and phone calls are super effective ways to reach people, especially when it comes to hard-to-reach communities 
.
! We just need to be more intentional about how we're communicating with each other and making sure everyone is on the same page 
. whats wrong with bilingual outreach efforts tho? cant just assume every1 speaks english and expects ppl to magically know this info 
. And it's not just about the polling; it's about actually getting the word out to people in a way that makes sense to them, especially on social media 
.
this poll is like, really revealing that we gotta do better as a community, y'know? It's not just about being informed, it's also about who gets to decide our schools' future. The fact that younger adults & Latino residents are in the dark says a lot about systemic issues, like access to info & representation. We need to recognize that this isn't just a matter of knowledge, but also power & privilege 
The poll results are actually kinda shocking - 2/3 of people are clueless? That's like, basic knowledge right there. And what's up with the lack of bilingual outreach efforts? It's not exactly rocket science to reach out to communities that already speak the same language as the dominant culture 
.
. What if the city just made sure info about the change was widely available and easily digestible? Social media campaigns could work wonders 
. I also think we should be worried about why some groups are being left behind in the first place... is it because of language barriers, or is there something more systemic at play? We need to dig deeper and find out 
door-to-door, social media, local tv stations - all the works 
especially with an election that's just around the corner... how can we expect our kids' schools to thrive if most of us don't even know who's running for school board? 
I mean who doesn't know that change is coming? It's crazy how some people are still in the dark, like what's the point of even having a poll 
. What do you think should be done? Should we have more outreach efforts or something else entirely? 
especially with latino kids makin up 40% of chicago public schools 
i'm all for door-to-door canvassing and phone calls to get the word out but also let's be real who has time for that when u have a job and fam 
can we pls partner with orgs that work w/ immigrant communities like noddle or 365indy? 
. it's not just about the kids tho, it's also about the parents and how they're gonna be affected too 
. the poll says like 20% of parents don't even know who their school board rep is?! that's crazy 
. we need more bilingual stuff online and in our communities so everyone can get the info they need 
Like, what's going on here? Apparently, most people in Chicago don't know that their school board is about to change... like, 4 years from now 
. Should've started campaigning months ago... 
This makes me wonder if there's a lack of trust or communication between community groups and the city government? Shouldn't there be more effort put into explaining this change in a clear and concise way, especially since it affects so many people?